Sir Mr. Pollars being at some distance from the city, and having a chance of procuring a situation in the Treasury department, requested me to obtain the recommendatory letter of the late M^r John Wilcocks in his behalf from you, in order that it may be presented to the Secretary. he likewise instructed me to beg of you, as a particular favor to accompany the same with one of your owes, detailing superficially M^r Wilcocks' verbal declarations in respect to his probity &c. — he is the more encouraged to solicit this favor on recurring to your very polite and reiterated offers of assistance when an opportunity presented itself; convinced of the purity of your intentions, as influenced solely by your generosity, emboldens him to take advantage of the circumstance — To give an additional incitement to your feelings, (at the same time entreating your pardon for my presumption) M^r Pollars situation is such, as absolutely to require some more settled and essential means of providing for his family: he has no prospect whatever of being admitted to practice in his legal profession till the further and protracted period of three years, and although by astonishing exertion, he has contrived to live since he left M^r Wilcocks, yet such are his prospects, that without some permanent employ, it is impossible to support it, — abilities such as his too, laying dormant, without any means of exercising them to advantage, is very distressing, and a consideration that alone will I hope induce you to lend your aid in his establishment, for I am pursuaded, should you condescend to grant him this favor, he would succeed in his application, and be conferring an immeasurable obligation upon him — I am with great respect Sir Your very obedient John Reddal Comptrol^r Office Chesnut Street corner of Twelfth Oct^r 16^th, 1797 Sam^l Hodgson Esq^r [Addressed: Sam^l Hodgson Esq^r / Accountant of the War / Philadelphia / go in followers]